Works on the exterior crew of a large private or charter yacht, keeping the vessel spotless, handling lines and tenders, and running water sports for guests. BLS does not publish separate figures for sailors and marine oilers; it counts them within sailor and marine oiler (SOC 53-5011), whose median pay is $51,520 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- SOC 53-5011
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Superyacht Deckhand in four numbers
- Median pay
- $51,520a year, or $24.77/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $35KTop 10% $84K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.2%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 3,60033,000 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202533K
- Projected 203534.1K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 33K Projected 2035 34.1K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Yacht Deckhand, Lead Deckhand, Yacht Bosun, Junior Deckhand, Yacht Crew Deckhand.
Pay
How much do Sailors and Marine Oilers make?
Every superyacht deckhand in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$51,520
Middle half earn $41,430 to $67,590
- 10th
- $34,560
- 25th
- $41,430
- 75th
- $67,590
- 90th
- $83,620
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $34,560 |
| 25th | $41,430 |
| Median | $51,520 |
| 75th | $67,590 |
| 90th | $83,620 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $51,520
- Median hourly wage
- $24.77/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $56,830
- People employed
- 31,670
Versus all US occupations
At $51,520, the median for Sailors and Marine Oilers sits in line with the $50,980 median across all US occupations.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
Inside the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $62,840, this is 18% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $83,620 or more while the bottom 10% earn $34,560, a gap of 2.4×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 24% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Hawaii pays the most at $76,140, and still leads at $69,249 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Sailors and Marine Oilers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hawaii | $76,140 | $69,249 | 340 |
| 2New Jersey | $71,880 | $66,063 | 520 |
| 3Oregon | $70,410 | $68,120 | 210 |
| 4Washington | $66,700 | $62,329 | 1,590 |
| 5Alaska | $63,130 | $61,675 | 480 |
| 6Tennessee | $60,580 | $65,941 | 870 |
| 7Delaware | $60,040 | $60,155 | 80 |
| 8Florida | $57,930 | $56,018 | 2,710 |
| 9Minnesota | $56,680 | $57,473 | 90 |
| 10Indiana | $56,570 | $60,614 | 570 |
Job outlook
Is Superyacht Deckhand a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Sailors and Marine Oilers | +3.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Sailors and Marine Oilers to change 3.2% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 3,600 openings are projected each year, 10.9% of the 33,000 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Superyacht Deckhand
No degree is required. Entry-level crew must complete STCW Basic Safety Training, covering sea survival, fire fighting, first aid and personal safety, and obtain a seafarer medical certificate. Powerboat handling and personal watercraft certificates help, as do boat handling, water sports and hospitality experience.
Many new deckhands look for work in crew hubs such as Fort Lauderdale, Antibes or Palma, through crew agencies and dock walking. With sea time, deckhands can sit for Coast Guard or international officer of the watch certificates and move up. The Professional Yachting Association publishes career and training guidance for crew.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Superyacht Deckhand do?
Superyacht deckhands keep the outside of a large yacht in show condition and help it operate safely. Days start with washing down decks and hull, polishing stainless steel, varnishing teak and touching up paint. They handle lines and fenders when the yacht docks or anchors, stand navigation watches, and assist the captain and officers on the bridge.
When guests are aboard, deckhands drive tenders, launch jet skis and paddleboards, set up beach picnics and teach water sports, all while being discreet and service-minded. Lead deckhands and bosuns supervise the deck team, plan maintenance and manage stores. Many deckhands use the job as a first step toward officer and captain licenses.
Day-to-day tasks
- Wash, polish and maintain the yacht's exterior
- Varnish teak and touch up paintwork
- Handle lines and fenders when docking and anchoring
- Drive tenders and launch water sports equipment
- Stand navigation and anchor watches
- Assist guests with water activities and beach setups
- Maintain deck equipment and safety gear
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Deckhands live aboard with the rest of the crew, sharing small cabins, and follow the yacht between seasonal destinations. Work is physical and outdoors, with long days during guest trips and few days off at a time. Room, board and travel are typically provided, and crew rotate through busy charter seasons and quieter shipyard periods.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.5
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Active Listening3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Active Learning3.0
- Writing2.5
- Learning Strategies2.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.5 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
| Writing | 2.5 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring3.8
- Operation and Control3.6
- Equipment Maintenance3.1
- Troubleshooting3.1
- Repairing3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Quality Control Analysis3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.8 |
| Operation and Control | 3.6 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.1 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.1 |
| Repairing | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software
- Facilities management software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Superyacht Deckhand?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RC) built on O*NET's Sailor and Marine Oiler profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Superyacht Deckhand |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional4.7
- Investigative2.6
- Enterprising2.4
- Social1.2
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Superyacht Deckhand
O*NET related occupations
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Transportation and Material Moving
Captain, Mate, and Pilot of Water Vessels
$92,460median a year
Most earn $47K to $171K
+4.0%Certificate - Transportation and Material Moving
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Transportation and Material Moving
More transportation and material moving careers
Median annual pay, with sailors and marine oilers highlighted
- Airline Pilot$232,140
- Commercial Pilot$123,220
- Locomotive Engineer$81,410
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster$78,000
- Crane and Tower Operator$68,080
- Flight Attendant$63,580
- Truck Driver$58,640
- Superyacht Deckhand$51,520
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector$49,690
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Airline Pilot | $232,140 |
| Commercial Pilot | $123,220 |
| Locomotive Engineer | $81,410 |
| Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster | $78,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $68,080 |
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 |
| Truck Driver | $58,640 |
| Superyacht Deckhand | $51,520 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $49,690 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Superyacht Deckhand appears on
Questions
Superyacht Deckhand: frequently asked questions
How much do Sailors and Marine Oilers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for sailors and marine oilers. It counts them within sailor and marine oiler, whose median pay is $51,520 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $41,430 and $67,590, and the top 10% earn $83,620 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Superyacht Deckhand?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Sailors and Marine Oilers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Superyacht Deckhand a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.2% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 3,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Superyacht Deckhand do?
Superyacht deckhands keep the outside of a large yacht in show condition and help it operate safely. A typical task: wash, polish and maintain the yacht's exterior. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Operating system software.
Which states pay Sailors and Marine Oilers the most?
The highest state medians for Sailors and Marine Oilers are Hawaii ($76,140), New Jersey ($71,880), Oregon ($70,410) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Superyacht Deckhand?
O*NET scores Sailors and Marine Oilers highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.